Perspective Shift

After I had a mini-breakdown at work, Husband and I have decided to "ramp up" the process of moving to France. My husband left a voicemail for the LA consulate about a week ago. Of course, we have received no response. Husband just sent an email to the person in charge of etat civil (at least according to the consulate's website)...so we'll see.

Our previous plan was to have the whole family travel to France this September/October so we've been saving up for the tickets and panicking over the $3000 price tag associated with this venture (that's just the tickets). Since it has been almost 10 years since husband was last in France, we came to the conclusion that it would be good for him to "scout" for jobs and to confirm that he really wants to go home.

It's weird how single tickets to Europe are a lot less expensive than the per ticket price of a group of three tickets...at least it seems that way when I am comparing one ticket in May to three tickets in October. I suppose it's because you can squeeze the singleton in the spaces left by different sized groups.

Anyway, husband thinks that it might be easier for husband to take care of some paperwork while he is in France instead of waiting around for the LA consulate! After reading various french administration horror stories i'm not so sure, but then again he is french...then again he's practically an etranger by now!

Update: Husband talked to his father and found out that there is a program to help French people repatriate, which gives them financial assistance/support. His dad also said that if that didn't work/wasn't an option, he could always get unemployment...which, as an American, seems very weird since he hasn't worked in France for more than 9 years.

Anyway, what this means is that my husband will have some sort of income "guarantee" until he finds a job, which makes it more feasible for him to stay in France at the "conclusion" of his visit than we had previously discussed-especially since he has a lot more lodging options as one person instead of a family of 3. So in one day we've moved from a 20% chance that he'll stay in France at the conclusion of his visit ("if i find a job i'll stay") to an 80+% that he will stay. Honestly, it's probably higher than that but it's just a big perspective shift! He said the only way he would consider not staying is if a bomb fell on France or if France started invading a third world country. Otherwise known as, not very darn likely.

Yet another update and i haven't even re-posted this! Husband just spoke to brother who just returned from a ski trip and didn't know that we were this serious about returning to france said that he could get husband some contract work doing management control/audit, which is what he was doing when he left france.

So what's the plan for me and my son...? Well, about a month and a half after husband's departure, we will take a vacation and this will be the "last chance" for us to decide if we are really going to do it. I like the idea of an escape clause...that if I come and i really can't stand it, we can go back. If I do like it then I will leave my son there (ack!). Husband will get him registered for school and I imagine that he will stay with his grandparents for much of the summer. Husband's sister is buying a place this fall and her apartment will be available in August. The idea is to take over her lease if possible. Husband will seewhat he thinks of the apartment and the location when he arrives and will look for another place if necessary.

This means that yours truly returns to the US, packs up the house, sells the house, ships household effects y cargo and, finally, flies to France to rejoin her family.